Apparatus for conveying base

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for conveying a base is disclosed which comprises a crosswise base guide for causing a centerline in a conveyance direction of the base to coincide with a centerline in the conveyance direction of the apparatus, a base position detecting sensor for causing the crosswise base guide to start its operation and base breadth detecting sensors for causing the crosswise base guide to stop its operation. The apparatus may further comprise base guide moving mechanism for causing a centerline of the crosswise base guide to coincide with the centerline of the thin film.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 921,513 filed Oct. 22,1986, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus for conveying a base and moreparticularly to a technique effectively applicable to an apparatus forconveying a base for use in a film laminator.

Printed circuit boards for use in electronic equipment e.g., computersare such that a copper wiring or the like having a predetermined patternis formed on the surface of an insulating base.

A printed circuit board of that sort is made in the following steps ofprocess. A laminate consisting of a photosensitive resin layer(photoresist) and a translucent resin film (protective film) forprotecting the photosensititive resin layer is bonded onto a conductivelayer provided on an insulating base through thermocompresson bonding.The thermocompression bonding of laminates is conducted by a laminatoron a mass-production basis. Then a wiring pattern film is superposed onthe laminate, and the photosensitive resin layer is exposed to light fora predetermined period of time through the wiring pattern film and thetranslucent resin film. The photosensitive resin layer thus exposed tolight is developed to form an etching mask pattern after the translucentresin film is peeled off by a peeling device. Unnecessary portions ofthe conductive layer are subsequently removed by etching and theremaining photosensitive resin layer is also removed to form a printedcircuit board having a predetermined wiring pattern.

During the process of manufacturing the printed circuit board, there isneedless to say required the step of forming a laminate consisting of aphotosensitive resin layer and a translucent resin film on an insulatingbase having conductive layers formed on both sides thereof throughthermocompression bonding.

A roll of laminate continuously wound on a supply roller of a filmlaminator is pulled out and then cut into pieces corresponding indimensions to the base to provide a laminate to be bonded thereto.

An apparatus for conveying the base to the thermocompresson rollerposition is equipped with a plurality of rotary means formed with aplurality of discoidal rollers (pinch rollers), which are rotated tomove the base. When the base approaches thermocompression rollers, fixedguide members guide the base crosswise toward the centerline in theconveyance direction and cause the thermocompression rollers to hold thebase therebetween.

However, the problem is that, when a thin base that has been bentcrosswise is conveyed, the guide members are incapable of setting thecenterline of the base accurately to the centerline in the conveyancedirection of the apparatus for conveying a base.

Also, even if the base is set exactly along the centerline of theconveyance path, there is still a fear that the set position of the basewould be offset from a thin film to be laminated thereon. In this case,it would be very difficult to correct the offset amount therebetween.

The above-described and other problems to be solved by the presentinvention and novel features thereof will become manifest upon makingreference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanyingdrawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A typical embodiment of the present invention disclosed hereby willbriefly be outlined as follows:

In other words, the present invention is concerned with an apparatus forconveying a base by means of conveyor rollers and presser rollers andcomprises a crosswise base guide means for making a centerline in aconveyance direction of the base coincide with a centerline in theconveyance direction of the apparatus for conveying a base (revision ofthe course), a base position detection sensor means for making thecrosswise base guide start its operation, and base breadth detectingsensor means for making the crosswise base guide stop its operation.

A base on the conveyor rollers is conveyed by driving the conveyorrollers while it is held by the presser rollers. When the base isconveyed, the base position detecting sensor detects the base beingconveyed and products a detection signal for making the crosswise baseguide members of the crosswise base guide (revision of the course) startits operation. The base breadth detecting sensor attached to thecrosswise base guide detects both ends of the base and produces adetection signal for making the crosswise base guide members of thecrosswise base guide stop operation. The base can thus be conveyed up tothe thermocompression rollers without being bent in such a state thatthe centerline in the conveyance direction of the base coincides withthe centerline in the conveyance direction of the apparatus forconveying a base.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided anapparatus for conveying a base by means of conveyor rollers and presserrollers, comprising a crosswise base guide means for aligning acenterline of the base with a centerline in a conveyance direction ofthe apparatus while the base is being conveyed and a base guide movingmeans for making a centerline of the crosswise base guide means coincidewith centerline of a thin film.

Referring now to the drawings, a description will be given of anembodiment of the present invention applied to an apparatus forconveying a base for a film laminator for bonding a laminate consistingof a photosensitive resin layer and a translucent resin film onto aprinted circuit board through thermocompression bonding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective structural view of an apparatus for conveying abase according to the present intention;

FIG. 2 is a copy structural view of a film laminator related to theapparatus for conveying a base according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line Y--Y of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective structural view of the crosswise base guide ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the construction of the base breadthdetecting sensors, the holding member and the base support member shownin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the construction of the base supportmember of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In all drawings of the embodiment of the present invention, likereference characters designate like elements performing the likefunction respectively and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of a film laminator employing anapparatus for conveying a base embodying the present invention.

In a film laminator shown in FIG. 2, a three-layer laminate 1 consistingof a photosensitive resin layer and a translucent resin film iscontinuously wound on each supply roller 2. The laminate 1 wound on thesupply roller 2 is separated by a peeling roller 3 into a translucentresin film (protective film) 1A and a laminate 1B composed of thephotosensitive resin layer with one side exposed (adhesive surface) andthe translucent resin film. The translucent resin film 1A thus separatedis so arranged as to be rolled around a take-up roller 4.

The front end of the laminate 1B in the supply direction is absorbed bya main vacuum plate 6 through a tension roller 5 providing propertension. The main vacuum plate 6 is supported by a frame 8 through anair cylinder 7 whose position is variable in the direction of an arrowA. The main vacuum plate 6, together with the tension roller 5, is usedto supply the laminate 1B to a base 17 without causing wrinkles thereto.

An arcuate portion 6A at the front end of the main vacuum plate 6contains a heater 6B and bonds the front end of the laminate 1B onto theconductive layer of the base 17 through thermocompression bonding.

A rotary cutter 9 installed close to the arcuate portion 6A is used tocut the continuous laminate 1B into a piece corresponding in dimensionsto the base 17.

A subvacuum plate 10 for having the front end of the laminate 1B thuscut off absorbed by the arcuate portion 6A is positioned opposite to therotary cutter 9. The subvacuum plate 10 is supported by the frame 8through an air cylinder 11 whose position is variable in the directionof an arrow B.

The frame 8 for supporting the main vacuum plate 6 and the subvacuumplate 10 is supported by a frame of the apparatus proper through an aircylinder 12 whose position is variable in the direction of an arrow C.

The laminate 1B whose front end is bonded by the arcuate portion 6A ontothe conductive layer of the base 17 through thermocompression bonding isthoroughly bonded by a thermocompression roller 14. Thethermocompression roller 14 tentatively bonds the front end of thelaminate 1B onto the arcuate portion 6A through thermocompressionbonding and then moves from a position shown by a dotted line markedwith numeral 14' of FIG. 2 to what is shown by a solid line.

The rear end of the laminate 1B cut to size by the rotary cutter 9 isguided by a traingular rotary vacuum plate 15 in such a manner as toprevent it from wrinkling and being bonded by the thermocompressionroller 14 through thermocompression bonding.

The film laminator thus constructed works to bond the laminate 1B on thebase 17 supplied with the conductive layer on both sides (or one side)of the insulating base conveyed by the apparatus 16 for conveying a basecomprising the conveyor rollers 16A and the presser rollers 16B. Thelaminate 1B is bonded onto the base 17 through thermocompression bondingso that the adhesive surface of the photosensitive resion layer whosethe translucent resin film 1A has been peeled off may stick to thesurface of the conductive layer. The base 17 with the laminate 1B bondedthereto through thermocompression bonding is carried out of theapparatus 18 by a base discharging device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of the above apparatus 16 forconveying a base.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for conveying a base is coupled to thefilm laminator 1. Each conveyor roller 16A is formed with a (solid orhollow: preferably hollow) fiber-reinformed plastic columnar member anda plurality of conveyor rollers 16A are rotatably fitted to the frame 20of the apparatus 16 proper. The plurality of conveyor rollers 16A arearranged a predetermined space apart to prevent the thin base 17 fromdrooping. Moreover, only every other one out of those conveyor rollers16A is coupled to a driving source (not shown). Every two of theconveyor rollers 16A or all of them may be coupled to the driving sourceas occasion demands.

The base 17 is mounted on the conveyor rollers 16A and conveyed whileheld by the presser rollers 16B. When a thin base is conveyed, warpingand waving are remedied. Like the conveyor roller 16A, each presserroller 16B, which is rotatably fitted to a frame 20, is also formed witha columnar member to keep the end of the base 17 from being caught bythe rotary means built of a discoidal member and stopped when the base17 is thin enough to readily warp and wave. Although the presser rollers16B are not coupled to the driving source, they may also be coupledthereto. When a base 17 which is not thin and tends to less warp andwave is used, the presser rollers 16B may be rotary means prepared bysplitting a plurality of discoidal members.

A crosswise base guide 21 is intended to make the centerline in theconveyance direction and the centerline in the conveyance direction ofthe base 17. As shown in FIG. 3 (sectional view taken on line Y--Y) andFIG. 4 (perspective view), the crosswise base guide 21 is formed ofcrosswise base guide members 21B, 21B' supported by support members 21A,21A'. The support members 21A, 21A' are slidably fitted to a support rod21C. The support members 21A, 21A' are also fitted to an endless belt21E wound on pulleys 21D, 21D' in such a manner that they are movedclose to each other when the endless belt 21E moves in the direction ofan arrow D. The support members 21A, 21A' are caused to slide by an aircylinder 21I installed on the support member 21A'. The pulleys 21D, 21D'are supported by inverted L-shaped support members 21F, 21F',respectively. The inverted L-shaped support members 21F, 21F' mate witha threaded rod 21G, which is equipped with a handle 21H and, by turningthe handle 21H, the inverted L-shaped support members 21F, 21F' aretransversely moved while a fixed distance is held by them therebetween.The moving mechanism (fine adjustment mechanism) is intended to adjustthe position of the crosswise base guide 21 to make the centerline inthe conveyance direction of the base 17 coincide with the centerline inthe conveyance direction of the laminate 1B for thermocompressionbonding, i.e., the centerline of the apparatus 16 for conveying a basein case the former shifts from the latter. The position of the crosswisebase guide 21 is fixed with a screw 21J for fixing the rotation of thethreaded rod 21G.

A base position detecting sensor 22 for detecting the front (or rear)end of the base 17 produces a signal for starting driving the crosswisebase guide members 21B, 21B' of the crosswise base guide 21. The baseposition detecting sensor 22 is fitted to the frame 20 through a supportframe 22A. A reflective optical sensor is, for instance, employed as thebase position detecting sensor 22.

Base breadth detecting sensors 23A, 23B for respectively detecting bothends of the base 17 produce signals for stopping driving the crosswisebase guide members 21B, 21B' of the crosswise base guide 21. The basebreadth detecting sensors 23A, 23B are installed on the inner sides ofthe crosswise base guide members 21B, 21B' close to the front end of theconveyance direction of the support members 21A, 21A'. In other words,the base breadth detecting sensors 23A, 23B are installed in such aposition as to stop the crosswise base guide members 21B, 21B' when thecenterline of the base coincides with the centerline of the apparatusfor conveying a base. The control of the crosswise base guide 21 cansimply be materialized by causing the signal for stopping driving thecrosswise base guide members 21B, 21B' to be produced slightly laterthan the time both ends of the base 17 are detected by the base breadthdetecting sensors 23A, 23B using a delay circuit. As the base breadthdetecting sensors 23A, 23B, translucent type optical sensors are used.

The base 17 can thus be conveyed to the starting position ofthermocompression bonding readily and accurately in such a state thatthe centerline in the conveyance direction of the base 17 is made tocoincide with the centerline in the conveyance direction of theapparatus for conveying a base without allowing the base 17 to bend byinstalling the crosswise base guide 21 for making the centerline in theconveyance direction of the base 17 coincide with the centerline in theconveyance direction of the apparatus for conveying a base, the baseposition detecting sensor 22 for starting the operation of the crosswisebase guide 21 and the base breadth detecting sensors 23A, 23B forstopping the operation of the crosswise base guide 21.

A base holding member 24 shown in FIG. 1 fixes and holds the base 17 sothat it may not drop when the base 17 reaches the starting position ofthe thermocompression bonding. As shown in FIG. 5 (side view), the baseholding member 24 is fitted to the frame 20 and moved by an air cylinderand a spring (not shown) in the direction of an arrow E. Moreover, abase support member projects in the direction of an arrow Finterlockingly or not interlockingly with the operation of driving thebase holding member 24. The control of the base support member 25 in thedirection of the arrow E is conducted by an air cylinder 25A fitted tothe frame 20. The operation of the base holding member 24 or basesupport member 25 is controlled by the signal (not shown) for startingor stopping driving the base position detecting sensor.

The base holding member 24 and the base support member 25 thus installedsupport the base 17 to prevent the base 17 from dropping when it reachesthe starting position of the thermocompression bonding and are capableof holding it in position until the thermocompression rollers verticallysandwich it therebetween, so that the laminate 1B is accurately bondedonto the base 17 through thermocompression bonding.

Incidentlly, the following modification is possible according to thepresent invention. Namely, in order to automatically control the basecrosswise guide moving means for causing the centerline of the basecrosswise guide means to coincide with the centerline of a thin film tobe laminated on the base, thin film breadth detecting sensors (notshown) for detecting the breadth of the laminate thin film are providedat a predetermined position in each of the upper and lower laminate thinfilm supply paths. The detection signals of these sensors and theabove-described base width detecting sensors 23A, 23B are inputted intoa well known controller (not shown) whereby upper and lower laminatethin films are positioned in alignment with each other in accordancewith the control signals (soft ware). Also, by controlling the basecrosswise guide moving means, the centerline of the base crosswise guideis made to coincide with the centerline of the thin film.

The operation of the apparatus for conveying a base according to thepresent invention will briefly be described.

In FIG. 1, the base 17 is conveyed toward the thermocompression rollers14 by driving the given number of conveyor rollers 16A among theplurality of them. When the front end of the base 17 thus conveyed isdetected by the base position detecting sensor 22, the crosswise baseguide 21 starts operating according to the drive-starting signal. Thecrosswise base guide 21 operates so as to make the centerline of thebase 17 coincide with the centerline of the apparatus for conveying abase using the crosswise base guide members 21B, 21B'. When both ends ofthe base 17 are then detected by the base breadth detecting sensors 23A,23B, the operation of the crosswise base guide 21 is stopped by thedrive-stopping signal. The base 17 is consequently conveyed to theposition of thermocompression bonding in such a state that thecenterline in the conveyance direction of the base 17 coincides with thecenterline in the conveyance direction of the apparatus for conveying abase. At this time, the conveyor rollers 16A are stopped by the baseposition detecting sensor (not shown) and the holding member 24 movesdown and makes the base immovable. The base support member 25simultaneously projects to support and prevent the base 17 fromdropping. Then as shown in FIG. 2, the thermocompression rollers 14 moveto the base 17 on the left and sandwich the base 17 through the laminate1B thermocompression bonded. The thermocompression rollers 14 and theconveyor rollers 16A are driven so that the laminate 1B is bonded ontothe laminate 1B through thermocompression bonding.

Although the present invention has been described in its preferred formwith a certain degree of particularity, it is needless to say understoodthat the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereofand modification of the invention is possible within its spirit andscope as set out in the accompanying claims.

For example, only one of the crosswise base guide and the crosswise baseguide members may be made to move though it has been so arranged as tomove both of them in the above embodiment. Accordingly, only one side ofthe base in the crosswise direction may be detected.

In the foregoing embodiment, in order to correct the positional offsetbetween the base and the thin films to be laminated thereon by means ofthe base widthwise guide moving mechanism, the set positions of theupper and lower thin films to be laminated are detected for automation.However, one of the set positions of the upper and lower laminate thinfilms may be held satationary, and the other is held movable to therebydetect only the movable position of the thin film.

Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to an apparatus forconveying a base for use in a flim laminator.

As set forth above, the apparatus for conveying a base comprises thecrosswise base guide for making the centerline in the conveyancedirection of the base coincide with the centerline in the conveyancedirection of the apparatus for conveying the base, a board positiondetecting sensor for making the crosswise base guide start operation,and base breadth detecting sensors for making the crosswise base guidestop operation, so that the base is conveyable to the starting positionof thermocompression bonding in such a state as to make the centerlinein the conveyance direction of the base coincide with the centerline inthe conveyance direction of the apparatus for conveying a base withoutcausing the base to bend.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus for conveying a base from an input position toa holding position, comprising:conveying means comprising a plurality ofpairs of conveying and pressing rollers for transporting said basetoward said holding position; a crosswise base guide disposed in a pathof said base along said conveying means between said input position andsaid holding position for aligning a centerline of said base with acenterline of said apparatus as said base is being transported by saidconveying means, said base guide comprising a threaded rod extendinggenerally perpendicular to a conveying direction of said base and lyingin a plane generally parallel to a plane of said base, first and secondpulley support members threadedly engaged with said threaded rod to movetogether in the same direction perpendicular to said conveying directionwhen said rod is rotated, a pulley rotatably mounted on each of saidpulley support members, an endless belt entrained between said pulleys,a support rod mounted generally parallel to said threaded rod, a pair ofguide member supports slidably mounted on said support rod and connectedon opposite sides to said endless belt so that said guide membersupports move toward or away from one another as said endless belt ismoved, a pair of guide members mounted on respective ones of said guidemember supports and disposed in a said path of said base, and meansconnected to one of said guide members for moving both said guidemembers through said endless belt; base position detecting means fordetecting a presence of a base and instructing said moving means tostart moving said guide members; and base breadth detecting means fordetecting a breadth of said base and stopping said moving means whensaid guide members are positioned apart from one another by a distancecorresponding to a breadth of said base.
 2. The base conveying apparatusof claim 1, wherein said base position detecting means is disposed at aposition upstream of said base breadth detecting means in a conveyingdirection of said base.
 3. The base conveying apparatus of claim 1,wherein said base position detecting means is disposed to detect atleast one of a leading edge and trailing edge of said base.
 4. The baseconveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base breadth detectingmeans is disposed to detect side edges of said base.
 5. The baseconveying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base holding memberand a base supporting member for fixing said base in position at saidholding position, said base holding member being mounted above said baseat said holding position and being movable perpendicular to a plane ofsaid base, and said base supporting member being movable in a directionparallel to said plane of said base and supporting said base from below.6. The base conveying apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an aircylinder connected to one of said guide member supports for moving bothsaid guide member supports through movement of said endless belt.
 7. Thebase conveying apparatus of claim 5, wherein said base holding memberand said base supporting member operate independently of one another. 8.The base conveying apparatus of claim 5, wherein said base holdingmember and said base supporting member operate in cooperation with oneanother.
 9. The base conveying apparatus of claim 5, wherein said baseholding member and said base supporting member are retracted after saidbase has reached said holding position.